Pneumatic separator



Jan. 2, 1962 T. c. STEWART, SR

PNEUMATIC SEPARATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 27, 1961 m m M Troy 0. Szewarzjzt ATTORNEYS Jan. 2, 1962 c. STEWART, SR 3,015,390

PNEUMATIC SEPARATOR Filed Jan. 27, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 -E-E-I-E-E-i-E ii 60 52 fi 5, 5 46 I glg- 54 E? Z5? 35 E; -I 44 mun-mun Jan. 2, 1962 T. c. STEWART, SR 3,015,390

PNEUMATIC SEPARATOR Filed Jan. 27, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Jan. 2,, 1962 3,015,390 lNEUMATlQ EPARATGR Troy 1. Stewart, S12, R6. Box 162, Patterson, Calif. Filed E an. 27, 1961, Ser. No. 85,382 13 Claims. (Cl. 269-bit?) This invention relates to pneumatic or air blast separators of the multiple stage type; the present separator being particularly designed to separate the meats of cracked nuts from the shells, hulls, twigs, leaves, and any dirt and dust which may be mixed therewith.

The major object of this invention is to provide a separator or" this type so constructed that materials of difierent relative weights in the mass initially delivered to the separator will be separated from each other and discharged onto the ground from separate chute A further object of the invention is to provide adjustable means within the separator, which are manually and separately controlled from exteriorly thereof, for altering the force or effectiveness of the air blast or flow Within the separator at different points therein, and the action of such blast on the air-borne or suspended material, with out changing the speed of the blower which feeds the separating blast or flow of air into the separator.

A further object of the invention is to provide a practical, reliable, and durable pneumatic separator, and one which will be exceedingly efiective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the separator.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the lower portion of the separator, mainly in section.

FIG. 3 is a similar view of the upper portions of the separator.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional elevation taken on line 44 of FIG. 3.

H6. 5 is a similar view on line 55 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged side elevation, partly broken away, of the separator, showing the dual adjustable screen unit near the top of the separator.

FIG. 7 is a fragrnentary sectional plan taken in line 7-7 of FIG. 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, the separator includes a vertical stack 1 which at its lower end is connected to the discharge outlet 2 of a conventional motor-driven floor or base supported, constant-speed blower 3.

A short conduit 4 extends outwardly from the inlet opening of the blower, the conduit entering a screened air intake housing 5. A valve disc 6 is disposed laterally out from the conduit in cooperative relation thereto; said disc being mounted on a screw shaft 7 arranged to ad- Vance or retract the disc upon rotation of such shaft in one direction or the other. The shaft 7 is provided with a crank handle 8 outside the housing, so that the setting of the valve disc 6 relative to the conduit 4, and the volume of air allowed to enter the conduit and blower, may be easily regulated.

The stack 1 is of square form in section, as shown in FIG. 7, and a short distance above the blower a dual screen unit 9 extends across the stack atan angle and is arranged so that the volume of air passing through the unit may be varied.

At its lower end the screen unit delivers onto a downwardly sloping discharge chute 10, which delivers onto or toward the floor or ground.- to one side of the blower;

A longitudinal 'verticaldefiector or bafie 11 is disposed in chute it) parallel to the bottom and which fits between the sides thereof; said deflector being provided at its upper end with an upstanding flange 12 which is vertically adjustably secured to the adjacent wall of the stack 1, as shown at 13. This baffle not only keeps heavy or large pieces rolling down the screen unit 9 from jumping out of the chute 10, but to a certain extent regulates the amount of air which may pass between said deflector and the adjacent end of the screen unit.

At the opposite or upper end of the screen unit 9 a relatively small duct 14, the full width of stack 1, ex-

tends upwardly on the outside of the stack from immediately below the screen unit 9 to a termination in a restricted nozzle 15 which faces upwardly and generally into the stack It, with which it communicates, as shown in FIG. 2. A hopper 16, into which a supply chute 17 feeds, is supported on the adjacent side of the stack 1 immediately above the nozzle 15; there being an outlet opening 18 in the adjacent wall of the stack-and hopper-which allows material in the hopper to pass into the stack 1 and across the nozzle opening. A vertically adjustable gate 19 controls the operative size of the open ing 18, and a deflector 2llswingable transversely of the stack about its lower edge-projects upwardly into the stack from the edge of nozzle 15 furthest from the hopper 16, and deflects material passing through the opening 18 in an upward direction. The deflector 20 is adjusted from the outside of the stack 1 by suitable and generally conventional means, as indicated at 21.

As shown particularly in FIG. 3, the stack 1 extends some distance above the hopper 16' to an open-ended termination within a surrounding Wall 22 which extends some distance above the stack, and is relatively widely and evenly spaced therefrom, as shown in FIG. 7. A chamber 23 is thus formed between the wall and stack; the bottom wall 24 of which chamber extends at a somewhat sharp downward angle from one side to the other, and delivers at its lower end into a downwardly sloping discharge chute 25, the stack 1 projecting through said wall 24 in sealed relation therewith. A manually adjustable swing gate or damper 26 in chute 25 controls the volumetric air or material flow therethrough.

The wall 22 is surrounded by another wall 27, also spaced therefrom a material distance to leave a chamber 28 therebetween; the wall 27 extending a considerable distance above wall 22, as shown. Discharge chutes 29, each with an adjustable swing gate 30 therein, depend from and connect with chamber 28 at the bottom thereof on opposite sides of the chute 25, as indicated in FIG. 7.

An outside wall 31 surrounds wall 27 in spaced relation thereto to provide a chamber 32 therebetween; said wall 31 extending a relatively short distance above wall 27. Wall 31 is closed at the top by an upwardly project ing pyramidfl dome 33.

The opposite side portions of wall 31 are straight and parallel to each other, as shown in FIG. 4, and extend downwardly to a sloping bottom wall 34 disposed a short distance above bottom wall 24, as shown iuFlG. 1; said wall, and the chamber 32, delivering into discharge chutes 35 disposed at the sides of the chamber, and each provided with a manually controlled swing damper 36.

At the other opposite sides of the chamber 32 each such side is provided with a transverse inverted V-shaped deflector unit 37 extending upwardly from the bottom. wall to a termination in an apex a short distance below the top of wall 27. This feature insures that allsolid material dropping down in the corresponding sides of the chamber 32 from its upper end will be deflected directly into the chutes 35 or onto the sloping bottom wall 34 at the other sides'of said chamber, and will not tend to bank up against the inner wall 27. a i

, in operation.

1 as the screen unit 6 3 above'des'cribed'.

Similarly shaped deflectors 38 are disposed in chambers 28 and 23 at the high sides thereof.

The stack 1, which is open at its upper end, is slidably engaged by a screen tube 39 which projects some distance into the stack. A similar screen tube 4s slidably engages and projects a short distance into the wall 22, which is also open at its upper end.

A deflector in the form of an inverted pyramid 41 depends into tube 44 and is fixed therewith and overhangs the same, leaving a relatively narrow annular opening 42 between the tube and pyramid and disposed in a substantially vertical plane. A non-inverted pyramid 43 upstands from and is rigid with reflector 41 disposed beneath the similar but of course larger pyramidal dome 33; a closed chamber 44 being thus formed within such dome, which commun cates with chambers 2% and 32 at the top thereof.

An axially immovable but rotatable tubular screw shaft 45 is journaled in a boss 46 on the top of the dome and is threaded through a boss 47 on the pyramid 43. Rotation of shaft 45 therefore serves to raise and lower the screen 40.

Another screw 48 is turnably guided in and projects through shaft 45', said shaft also being axially immovable The shaft 48 projects through a guide bushing 49 in the lower end of deflector 4i, and below said bushing is threaded through the hub 5d of a spider 51 from which the screen tube 39 is suspended. Rotation of screw shaft 43 will therefore raise or lower said tube.

The separator is quite high, and to enable the shafts 45 and 48 to be conveniently rotated by an operator standing on the ground or floor, the following arrangement is provided: 7

Secured on the upper end of shaft 45 is a sprocket 52, and a similar sprocket 53 is horizontally alined with such sprocket 52 to which it is connected by an endless chain 54. Sprocket 53 is mounted on a depending shaft 55 disposed to one side of the outer separator wall 31, as shown in FIG. 1. The shaft 55 is suitably supported from a vertical framework 56 which upstands from the floor and supports the upper portion of the separator. The

shaft 55 is connected at its lower end to a suitable manually operable shaft rotating unit 57.

Similarly, another shaft 5S-parallel to and adjacent shaft 55-4 connected at its lower end to a suitable shaft rotating unit 59, adjacent but operable independently of unit 57. At its upper end, shaft 58 is connected to the Such material will then be blown upwardly into the stack by the air passing through the screen unit, as Well as out of the nozzle 15. The force of the nozzle blast may obviously be varied by adjusting the screen unit 9 to allow more'or less of the total volume of'air to pass therea through.

The smallest of the heavy pieces of the material, what ever they may be, will fall onto the screen unit 9 and pass out of the separator on the chute 10. Such material may be rocks and dirt clods, or nut meats and whole nuts, depending on the relative heaviness of these two types of material, and which may differ according to the variety of nuts being separated.

At times, however, especially when handling almonds, the hulls etc. are the heaviest pieces of material, but because of their large surface area they become air-borne and hence are lifted up by the blast from nozzle 15 and are discharged into the chamber 23 instead of falling onto the screen unit 9.

The remaining material is then blown up the stack and out of its upper end into the upper portion of chamber 23. When thus held in suspension in this chamber, due to the still present but reduced velocity air blast, the heaviest pieces remaining in such suspended material drop to the bottom of said chamber 23 and pass out through the chute 25. r p The lighter and still air-borneor suspended material is carried upwardly above the stack and-deflected laterally by the deflector il-4s blown through the annular and somewhat restricted opening 42 and into the chamber 44 which overlies and communicates with the chambers 28 and 32 at the top thereof. The heavier particles or pieces in-the suspended material drop into chamber 28, from which they are discharged through the bottom chutes'29. The lighter particles, such as leaves, drop into the outer chamber 32 from the now widely dispersed and nearly the separator finally passing to atmosphere through the screen units 53.

upper end of shaft 43 by an endless chain drive 68 which includes a sprocket 61 secured on said'shaft 48 above the shaft 45 and the sprocket 52 thereon. i ,The upper portion of the wall 27, above the apex'of the opposed deflector units '37, is formed asa continuous screen 62. The upper portion of the outer wall 31, above the deflector unit 37 and on all four sides, is formed with rectangular screen panels 63. As shown particularly in FIG. 6, each panelcomprises an inner fixed plate 64 and an outer plate 65 mounted for longitudinal movement the screen unit will be yaried. Such sliding movement is efiected by. means of a turnable screw shaft '63 mounted inagrially immovable 'relation in a bracket 69 secured on wall'31 beyond one end of the screen unit and being threaded through afnut or boss 70 secured on the adja-- cent end of screen plate 65. i r

The force or velocity of the air blast, and its effect on the suspended material carried thereby, may be varied at sundry pointswithin the separator above the stack. For one thing, the screen tube 39, through which a certain amount'of air may and does pass, may be adjusted up or down to vary the exposed oropen area of the screen. Similarly, the exposed area of screen 40 may be varied by adjusting the same up or down. Such adjustment also alfects the level of the annular opening 42 relative to the upper end of chambers 28 and 32. In fact, as will be apparent fronrFIG. 3, it is possible to lower the screen tube 40 sufliciently' to aline the opening 42 with the upper screened portion of wall 27, so as to insure all but the lightest material being delivered into chamber .28.

Though the separator has been described in connection with nut separation, it is adapted to separate foreign or useless matter from other produce, such as grain, seeds, certain fruits and vegetables, and the like.

In addition to the above adjustment features; adjustment of any or all of theouter screen units 63 maybe made, and which has theelfect of increasing or'decreasing the back pressure on the air blast within the separatonand which afiects the separating action. 7 p i it should be noted that the various separating action, but are for air expansion, in order that It should be noted here that all the screens herein- V before 'mentione'd are of the perforated-plate nature;ithe

dual screen unit9 being of the same adjustable character "In operation, the material to beseparatedi andzwhich includes'the nut meats, hulls, shells, twigs, leaves, small I- I rocks,andclods,'as well1as any accompanying'dust, is fed by gravityinto'hopper'16ifromfthe supply camera the air will lose its velocity and lifting power when'passing from one chamberto the next, and thus aiding in the desired and proper separating action within the sepafl rator.

; it may also'be noted that inthe separating of grain or small seeds from the accompanying foreign .matter the screen'unit 9 would be completely closed or replaced by a solid plate; allair from the blo'wer thenpassingthrough i the duct 14. i W

1' From the foregoing description it be readily seen that there has beenproduced such a device as will subscreens have no stantially fulfill the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations therefrom may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. A pneumatic separator including a. vertical opentopped stack, means to create an upward draft of air in the stack from the lower end thereof, a material supply hopper on one side of the stack intermediate its ends and having an opening at the bottom delivering into the stack and disposed in a substantially vertical plane, a downwardly sloping screen unit across the stack below said opening, a discharge chute projecting from the stack at the lower end of the screen unit and to which the unit delivers, and a duct formed in part with and leading upwardly from and communicating at its lower end with the stack below the screen unit to a termination in a restricted upwardly directed nozzle below and in front of the opening and communicating with the stack.

2. A separator, as in claim 1, with a swingably adjustable deflector projecting into the stack and pivoted at its lower end on the stack in front of the nozzle and extending at an upward angle into the stack away from the opening.

3. A separator, as in claim 1, with means incorporated with the screen unit to alter the open area therethrough.

4. A pneumatic separator including a vertical opentopped stack, means to create an upward draft of air in the stack from the lower end thereof, a material supply hopper on one side of the stack intermediate its ends and having an opening at the bottom delivering into the stack and disposed in a substantially vertical plane, a downwardly sloping screen unit across the stack below said opening, a discharge chute projecting from the stack at the lower end of the screen unit and to which the unit delivers, a deflector projecting upwardly into the stack from a lower end termination in front of said opening and extending upwardly at an angle away from the opening, and means mounting the deflector at its lower end in the stack.

5. A pneumatic separator including a vertical opentopped stack, means to create an upward draft of air in the stack from the lower end thereof, a material supply hopper on one side of the stack intermediate its ends and having an opening at the bottom delivering into the stack, the stack being open at the top, a discharge chute leading from the stack below the hopper opening, a downwardly sloping screen unit across the stack below said opening and delivering to the chute, a chamber surrounding the upper portion of the stack and projecting above the stack and into which the latter at the top delivers, a member sub stantially closing said chamber at the top but leaving an opening thereabout, a second but open-topped chamber surrounding the first chamber and into which the last named opening delivers, a third chamber surrounding and extending above the second chamber and having air discharge screen units in its outer side, and a cover upstanding from the third chamber and enclosing all the chambers; there being individual discharge chutes from the lower ends of all the chambers.

6. A separator, as in claim 5, in which the upper end portion of the stack comprises a vertically adjustable tubular screen.

7. A separator, as in claim 5, in which the upper end portion of the stack comprises a vertically adjustable tubular screen, and means to adjust said screen from exteriorly of the separator.

8. A separator, as in claim 5, in which the upper portion of the outer wall of the first named chamber includes a vertically adjustable screen tube.

9. A separator, as in claim 5, in which the upper portion of the outer wall of the first narned chamber includes a vertically adjustable screen tube, and means to adjust said screen from exteriorly of the separator and at a point below the screen.

10. A separator, as in claim 5, in which the upper portion of the outer wall of the first named chamber includes a vertically adjustable screen tube, and said closure me i.- ber is a deflector of inverted pyramid form.

11. A separator, as in claim 5, in which the upper end portion of the outer wall of the second chamber is a screen.

12. A separator, as in claim 5, in which the upper end portion of the outer wall of the second chamber is a screen, said screen being substantially in a common horizontal plane with the screen unit in the third chamber.

13. A separator, as in claim 5, in which said air discharge screen units are adjustable asto the open area therethrough.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,888,372 Bramwell Nov. 22, 1932 2,715,461 Maulsby Aug. 16, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 470,445 Great Britain Aug. 16, 1937 13,459/ 33 Australia July 13, 1933 

